1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a print control apparatus that controls a print apparatus capable of printing an image consuming a recording agent in accordance with image data, a program that causes a computer to function as a print control apparatus, and a print control method.
2. Related Art
Thus far, print control apparatuses capable of test printing prior to regular printing have been proposed as the above-mentioned type of print control apparatus (for example, see JP-A-2009-12294). The print control apparatus described in JP-A-2009-12294, upon receiving a command of test printing, performs test printing while putting a waste paper mark on the print, and also receives a command of switching from the test to regular printing via an operator panel; when the command of switching to the regular printing is actually received, the apparatus finishes the test printing with the waste paper mark and starts the regular printing.
As mentioned above, in order to check if there is any problem in the setting of a print apparatus or in print data, test printing is often carried out prior to regular printing. In the test printing, in addition to confirmation of a tone of color, a tint of color and the like, confirmation of a layout such as location and arrangement of the print subject is sometimes needed. In the case where multiple test copies of an image that is the same as an image for regular printing are printed, a large amount of recording agent will be consumed during the printing of the multiple test copies because the consumption of the recording agent such as toner and ink is proportional to the number of copies. On the other hand, the same image that is to be printed in regular printing needs to be output to confirm a tone of color, a tint of color and the like by the test printing, however the layout can be satisfactorily confirmed only by checking location information.